Scotty McCreery Won’t Get Caught Up in ‘Sappy Love Songs’ on Next Album

Scotty McCreery has had quite an impressive run recently, what with pitching his hometown baseball team into the playoffs and graduating high school. Oh, yeah — the 2011 ‘American Idol’ winner has also scored three Top 20 hits, his debut album ‘Clear as Day’ is certified platinum, and he’s currently on tour with Brad Paisley. McCreery even recently won his first CMT Music Award for USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year.

The 18-year-old singer is headed off to college in the fall, but he’ll continue his singing career — he promises.

“Oh, of course – this is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” McCreery tells Billboard in a new interview. “It’s getting to be… I don’t want to say a job, but it’s getting to be like that. I’m taking it seriously. But I love it.”

He adds, “I never wanted to sit behind a desk; that wasn’t me. I love entertaining. If I wasn’t on (‘Idol’) I would’ve tried to head to Nashville and make it the traditional way.”

As if he weren’t busy enough with his tour and upcoming college-level schooling, McCreery is also planning his second album. Although he’s known for songs like ‘I Love You This Big’ and ‘The Trouble With Girls,’ the young star wants to focus on more substance for his next outing, which he plans to start recording during tour breaks this summer. He’s already been sorting through songs for the project.

“I’m definitely seeing for this second album that people are really excited when they’re sending me songs,” McCreery notes. “I’m enjoying the songs I’ve been hearing. I just want people to really see me this time.

But one thing McCreery doesn’t want for his new release is a bunch of mushy love tunes. “I don’t want to get caught up in the sappy love songs; those are important, but I want them to get a feel for who I am as an artist and sing about real things in life,” he explains. “Hopefully we’ll get that with the songs and have some fun with it as well.”

The 18-year-old singer is particularly excited about getting to take a little more time to make a more personal album. “The first one I did was a little rushed, I didn’t get to enjoy it or get creative with it,” he acknowledges. “This one we’re going to take our time and really make a good album.”